Band forming and applying machine



Aug. 10, 1937.

p R. c. STROUT BAND FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Aug. 10, 1937.

BAND

R. C. STROUT FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fu /L 07m (5M @M ATTORNEY Aug. 19, 1937. c, STRQUT 2,089,769

BAND FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1954' 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 '4 IhllVENTOR $1M (96W k Q mum ATTORNEY Aug. 10, 1937. R, c, STRQUT 2,089,769

BAND FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Mu. 2.4mm

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAND FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE of Massachusetts Application December 11, 1934, Serial No. 756,951

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a band forming and pplying machine.

In general, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and emcient machine for forming successive bands from an elongated tubular member and for the automatic application of the bands thus formed to the neck portions of hottles in order to provide the bottles with sealing members. The machine is particularly useful in the formation and application of bands of wet regenerated cellulose to the necks of bottles in such manner as to cover at least a portion of the closure therefor, so that the sealing band may shrink in tightly fitting relation and form a seal 5 that is required to be destroyed in order to open the bottle.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the band forming and applying machine 20 and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined and claimed at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred em- 25 bodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a detail of one of the operating cams to be referred to; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine with some of the parts omitted; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of 30 the machine showing details of the band forming and band applying mechanism; Fig. 5 is a detail of two of the operating cams to be referred to; Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective illustrating a portion of the tubular member from which the 35 present bands may be formed; Fig. 7 illustrates one of the bands in an open condition; Fig. 8 is a sectional detail illustrating the position preferably occupied by the band with relation to the neck and closure for the bottle after the application of 40 the band and before the latter has shrunk; Fig.

9 is a side elevation illustrating the position occupied by the band after the latter has shrunk,

forming a seal for the bottle; Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the band forming 45 mechanism; and Fig. 11 is a similar view illustrating a modified form of band forming mechanism.

In general, the present invention contemplates the provision of an automatic machine for form'- ing successive bands or sleeves from an elongated member constituting a supply and for automatically applying successive sleeves thus formed over the top and onto the neck of successive bottles. The machine is particularly useful in the formation and application of bands of wet regenerated cellulose to the neck portions of the bottles in such manner that after application and after the applied band has been permitted to shrink, a tightly fitted seal is provided which must be destroyed in order to open the bottle. Provision is preferably made for withdrawing the elongated tubular member from a roll supply and for forming the bands therefrom in timed relation to the operation of the band applying mechanism, as will be described.

Referring now to the drawings, in the illustrated machine the filled and capped bottles are fed into the machine on an incoming conveyor from which the individual bottles are transferred into band applying position intermediate the incoming conveyor and a discharge conveyor. In the commercial form of the present machine a plurality of band applying mechanisms may and preferably will be embodied in the machine and provision made for transferring an individual bottle under each band applying mechanism and the band applying mechanisms are preferably disposed at spaced intervals along the incoming conveyor. For purposes of illustration, however, only one band applying mechanism and one band forming mechanism associated therewith have been herein illustrated. The elongated tubular material from which the successive individual bands are formed is preferably contained in a supply roll mounted upon the machine, and provision is made for feeding the tubular material to band forming mechanism arranged to form the bands and deposit them in superposed relation in an individual magazine, so that during the operation of the machine a bulk supply of formed bands is stored in such magazine from which they are automatically transferred to the band applying mechanism, as will be described. After the band has been applied to the bottle the banded bottle is transferred to the outgoing conveyor to be discharged from the machine, and when the bands are composed of wet regenerated cellulose, opportunity is afforded for the cellulose to dry and shrink to form a seal for the neck and cap of the bottle.

In the operation of the illustrated machine, a supply of filled and capped bottles is fed into the machine by an incoming conveyor 50 of any usual or preferred construction and is transferred from the conveyor 50 to a plate 62 immediately beneath the banding head either manually or by a pusher mechanism, generally indicated at 200. After a band has been applied, the bottle is transferred to an outgoing conveyor 5| either manually or by a second pusher mechanism, generally indicated at 240, to be discharged from the machine.

Provision is made to form the bands to be applied from an elongated tubular strip of material and as herein shown, a roll of the tubular band material I is carried between discs I08 and H0 which are mounted on a stud II2 carried in a bracket I I4 secured to the machine frame.

The elongated strip I00 is fed to a cut-off knife I06 by feed rolls I02, I04 being guided to said feed rolls over idler rolls I20, I2I and I22 which are journalled in a bracket I24 secured to the machine frame. A take-up lever II8 pivoted in the bracket I24 carries a roll H6 which bears against the banding material being guided to the feed rolls.

Means are provided for intermittently feeding a predetermined length of the banding material beyond the cutter I06 and to a position within a magazine 260 so that when the cutter I06 descends, as will be described, the tubular band is cut off and permitted to drop into the magazine in position to be withdrawn and applied to the neck of the bottle. The mechanism provided for causing the intermittent motion of the feed rolls includes a crank disc I42 on which a rack I44 is pivotally secured. The rack I44 is guided in a slide bracket I46 to mesh with a gear I48 loosely mounted on a shaft I50 on which the lower feed roll I04 is secured. A ratchet I52 formed as a part of the gear I48 is arranged to cooperate with a pawl I54 mounted on a pawl carrier I56 secured to the shaft I50.

During the operation of the machine the rack I44 is reciprocated so that during the downward stroke of the rack the spring pressed pawl I 54 will engage with the teeth of the ratchet I52 and feed the banding material to be out off. During the upward or idle stroke of the rack I44 the pawl I54 .40 will slide over the ratchet teeth. The upper feed roll I02 is arranged to be driven through cooperating gears I58 and I60 on shafts I50 and I62 respectively.

The crank disc I42 is secured to a shaft I journalled in the bracket I24 and is arranged to be driven through a sprocket I38 secured to the end of the shaft I40, a chain I36, and a sprocket I34 secured to a shaft I30. The shaft I30 carries a second sprocket I28 at its outer end which is connected by a chain I32 to a sprocket I26 secured to a cam shaft I6. The cam shaft I6 is driven from the main driving element, such as an electric motor, not shown, belted to a pulley 6 secured to a main driving shaft 8. A pinion I2 mounted on the shaft 8 meshes with a gear I4 secured to the cam shaft I6. The shafts 8 and I6 are journalled in suitable bearings in the legs 2 of the machine frame. A platen 4 mounted upon the legs 2 supports the operating mechanisms for applying the band.

The cutter I06 is mounted on a vertical rod I64 which is arranged to be reciprocated in a slide bracket I66, secured to the machine frame, by a cam I68 mounted on the cam shaft I6. A cam lever I10 pivoted on a shaft 60 carries a cam roll I12 which cooperates with the path I14 of the cam I68. The outer end of the cam lever I10 is connected by a link I16 to a lever I18 loosely mounted on a rocker shaft 300. A second arm 70 I80 of the lever I18 is connectedby a. link I82 to the vertically reciprocated rod I64.

The withdrawing and transferring mechanism generally indicated-at 280 comprises a suction device including a suction plate 286, suction tubes 28I attached to a hollow sleeve 282 mounted in a hub 283 formed in a horizontal slide member 284. The slide member is arranged to be reciprocated in a slide bracket 322 secured at the lower end of a vertical slide bar 3I0. Gibs 340 are provided to retain the slide member 284 in the bracket 322. The slide bar 3 I 0 is vertically reciprocated to raise the suction device 280 up to the magazine 260 to engage a collapsed band and to thereafter lower the suction unit to withdraw the lowermost band from the magazine. Lips 262 extending from the lower edges of the magazine are provided to retain the remaining bands within the magazine. A pad I 01 formed at the lower end of the cutter reciprocating rod I64 serves as a presser to hold the bands down in the magazine when the suction pad comes in contact with the lowermost band.

Provision is made for supplying suction to the withdrawing unit 280 and as herein shown, see Fig. 1, a vacuum pump 28 of any usual or preferred construction is connected to the suction unit through connections including a pipe 285, flexible hose 281, a valve 288 and pipe connections 289. The vacuum pump 28 is driven from the main drive shaft 8 by sprocket and chain connections comprising a sprocket 20 fixed to the shaft 8 over which a chain 24 runs. The chain 24 also runs over a sprocket 26 fixed to a shaft 22. A second sprocket 30 fixed to the shaft 22 is connected to a sprocket 34 on the vacuum pump by a chain 32.

Provision is made for operating the valve 288 so the vacuum will be released at the proper time to withdraw a band and to out off the vacuum during the idle portion of the cycle of operation of the withdrawing device. For this purpose a cam 305 secured to the cam shaft I6 is provided. A cam roll 303 mounted on the end of a lever 30I cooperates with the cam 305 and the roll is held in engagement with the mm by a spring 443. The lever 30I mounted on the shaft 60 is provided with a second arm 299 which is operatively connected to a valve lever 295 by a link 291. The lever 295 is secured to a valve shaft 293 which is provided with a part 294 through which the vacuum is released when the shaft 293 is rocked. The valve 288 is formed in a bracket 29I secured to the platen 4.

The vertical slide bar 3I0 which carries the suction unit 280 is arranged to be reciprocated by a cam 500 secured to the cam shaft I6. A cam path 502 in the cam 500 cooperates with a roller 504 in a lever 506 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 60. The outer end of the lever 506 is connected to a lever 296 by a link 298. The lever 296 is secured to the rock shaft 300 and a second lever 302 secured to the rock shaft is connected to the slide 3I0 by a link 304. The slide 3I0 is arranged to slide in a guide bracket 3i 6 secured to a bracket 3I8 mounted on the platen 4. Gibs 309 are provided to retain the slide 3"! in the bracket 3I6.

From the description thus far, it will be observed that the band material is cut oif to form individual bands which are held in a magazine and one of said bands is withdrawn so that the Withdrawing and transferring unit 280 is in a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 4. Referring now to Fig. 11, a modified form of band withdrawing mechanism is shown wherein the magazine 260, as shown in Fig. 10, is dispensed with. In the modified form the cut off band is received directly on the suction plate 286 and thereafter transferred to band applying position in the usual manner, to be described.

Provision is now made to turn the unit 280 with the band to a position at right angles to that shown in Fig. 4, or to a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1, and at the same time 1 5 to move the unit 280 to the left so that the band will be transferred to a position directly above the bottle to be banded. At this time a second suction unit, including tubes 430, 432, is caused to engage with the opposite side of the collapsed band and thereafter both suction units are drawn away from each other to open or expand the tubular band, so that spreading wires may enter the opened band preparatory to applying it over the neck of the bottle.

The mechanism for moving the suction unit 280 horizontally in the slide bracket 322 comprises a cam 396 secured to the cam shaft !6. A cam lever 402 pivoted on the shaft 60 carries a roller 400 which cooperates with a cam path 398 in the cam 396. The outer end of the lever 402 is connected to a lever 409 by a link 406. The lever 408 is secured to a rocker shaft 388 and a second lever 386 also secured to the shaft 388 is connected to one arm 382 of a bell crank by a connecting rod 384'. The connecting rod is pivotally secured to said lever arms by pins 390. The second arm 318 of the bell crank is connected to a depending lever 310 by a link 314 and pins 316, 380. The lever 310 is loosely mounted on a stud 312 which is secured to the slide M0. The lower end of the lever 310 is connected to the slide bracket 264 by a link 350 and a pin 352 secured to a hub 354 in the bracket 204. A slot 360 is provided in the bracket 322 to allow clearance for the hub 354.

During the operation of the machine, when the suction unit 280 is moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 4, it is caused to turn 90 by a stationary cam 4l0 secured to the bracket 322. A lever 40 4M secured to the hollow sleeve 282 carries a cam The second or rear suction unit comprising the suction tubes 430, 482 connected to a hollow sleeve 434 mounted in a swinging lever 436 is caused to advance and engage with the opposite side of the band and is caused to retract to open the band by mechanism including a cam 41! mounted on the cam shaft 46. A cam roll 41'! carried by a lever 455 mounted on the shaft 60 cooperates with a cam path 412 in the cam 41!. The outer end of the lever 455 is connect- 5 ed to a lever B by a .link M5. The lever M8 is secured to a rock shaft 462 and a second lever 460 is connected to an arm 456 formed as part of the swinging lever 436 by a connecting rod 458 and pin 410. The lever 496 is pivoted on a 60 stud 438 secured to the bracket 318. In order to provide a substantially parallel motion to the swinging lever 436 a linkage is provided comprising a lever 45!, secured to the hollow sleeve 434, and connected to a link 453 which is piv- 65 oted on a pin 454 secured to the bracket 3l8.

Suction is supplied to the rear suction tubes 430, 432 through connections similar to those described for the withdrawing unit 280, and includes a flexible hose 638, a valve 440 and con- 70 necting pipes 84!, 289 to the vacuum pump 28. The valve 440 similar in construction and operation to the valve 288 is opened and closed during the operation of the machine by a cam 442 fast on the shaft l6. One arm 446 of a bell 75 crank loosely mounted on the shaft 60 carries positioned above the bottle provision is made to hold the band in its tubular form and to lower the band over the neck of the bottle. As above stated, spreading wires 40! which are normally in an upraised and contracted position are caused to be lowered and spread to hold the band. Thereafter a collar 409 which is provided with clearance holes through which the spreader wires pass is caused to descend and strip the band off the wires and onto the neck of the bottle. The wires 40! secured in a hub 403 are arranged in a circle, and as above stated, are normally contracted so that their lower ends meet to form a point in which position the wires may readily .be lowered into the opened band and thereafter caused to spread out to form a circle equal in diameter to the inside diameter of the band by the spreader 409, as will be described. The hub 403 is formed on an extended member 405 of a slide bracket 401 which is arranged to be raised and lowered on a guide bar 423 by a cam 653 secured to the cam shaft !6, see Fig. l. A cam lever 459 loosely mounted on the shaft 60 carries a cam roll 451 which cooperates with a cam path 415 in the cam 653. The outer end of the lever 459 is connected to a lever 463 by a link 46!. The lever 463 is secured to a rocker shaft 65! and a second lever 449 also secured to the rock shaft 65! is connected to the slide bracket 401 by a link 445 and a pin 441.

During the operation of the machine, the spreader wires 40! with the expanded band descends to a position where the lower ends of the wires and also the lower edge of the band are on a level with the top of the bottle. Thereafter the collar 409 is caused to descend to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 where the band is completely stripped from the wires and applied to the bottle. The collar 409 attached to the lower end of a vertical rod 4!! carried in a slide member M5 is caused to be raised and lowered on the slide bar 423 by a cam 43! secured to the cam shaft l6. A lever 431 loosely mounted on the shaft 60 carries a cam roll 435 which cooperates with a cam path 433 in the cam 43!. The outer end of the lever 431 is connected to a lever 44! byalink 439. The lever 44! is fast on a rocker shaft 429 and a. second lever 421 also fast on the shaft 429 is connected to the slide member M5 by a link 425. V

The rod 4! l is guided in a hub 4 !3 in the bracket 401 and is yieldingly attached to the member 4!!) by a collar 4l1 on the underside of the member and a compression spring 4!!! coiled around the upper end of the rod 4! I. A collar 42! holds the spring against the member 4l5. The purpose of this construction is so that during the operation of the machine, when the collar 409 is in its uppermost position in contact with the hub 403 to permit the wires 40! to contract, any discrepancy in the lowering of the slide members M5 and 401 will be taken up by the spring M9.

The bottle with the band applied is now transferred to the outgoing conveyor 5! to be discharged from the machine. While certain features of the invention are particularly designed for use in the application of bands of wet regenerated cellulose to the necks of the bottles, nevertheless, it is not desired to limit the use of the invention thereto, as other bands may be applied to other forms of containers.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:-

1. A band forming and applying machine having, in combination, bottle supporting means,

5 band applying mechanism operative to apply a band upon the neck of a bottle, and mechanism for forming successive bands of uniform sectional dimension from a tubular supply thereof including means for transferring the bands into a position to be operated upon by the band applying mechanism, and operating means for effecting the operation of all of the aforesaid mechanism and means in timed relation.

2. A band forming and applying machine having, in'combination, bottle supporting means,

uniform sectional dimension from the tubular member thus withdrawn, and mechanism for transferring successive of the formed bands to a position to be operated upon by the band applying member, and operating means for effecting the operation of all of the aforesaid mechanism in timed relation.

3. A band forming and applying machine having, in combination, bottle supporting means, mechanism for forming successive bands of uniform sectional dimension from a tubular supply,

and mechanism cooperating therewith for opening successive bands and applying them over the tops and upon the necks of successive bottles, and operating means for effecting the operation of all of the aforesaid mechanism in timed relation.

4. A band forming and applying machine having, in combination, bottle supporting means, means for withdrawing a tubular member from a supply roll thereof, means for forming successive bands of uniform sectional dimension from the tubular member thus withdrawn, and mechanism for opening successive bands and applying them over the tops and upon the necks of successive bottles, and operating means for effecting the operation of all of the aforesaid mechanism and means in timed relation.

5. A band forming and applying machine having, in combination, means for supporting a supply roll of tubular band forming material, bottle supporting means, means for withdrawing the tubular band forming material from said supply roll thereof, a cutter operative to cut the tubular material to form individual bands of uniform sectional dimension, means for storing the bands as they are formed in superposed relation, band applying mechanism, and means for transferring the lowermost band in the pile to the band applying mechanism, and operating means for effecting the operation of all of the aforesaid mechanism and means in timed relation;

6. A band forming and applying machine having, in combination, means for supporting a supply roll of tubular band forming material, bottle supporting means, means for withdrawing the tubular band forming material from said supply roll thereof, a cutter operative to cut the tubular material to form bands of uniform sectional dimension, means for storing the bands as they are formed in superposed relation, band applying mechanism, and a suction device for withdrawing the lowermost band and presenting it to the band applying mechanism, and operating means for effecting the operation of all of the aforesaid mechanism and means in timed relation.

RALPH C. STROUT. 

